Two Pasco County schools were burglarized over the three-day weekend, with thousands of dollars of computer equipment stolen. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office reports that a dozen Apple computers were taken from Calusa Elementary School's instructional technology office, while at least one desktop Apple computer was removed from Ridgewood High School. The schools appeared to be broken into, in the same general pattern as three other schools were infiltrated in October, deputies said. Ridgewood, River Ridge Middle and Chasco Elementary had computers and equipment stolen at that time. The Sheriff's Office property crimes division is investigating, spokeswoman Melanie Snow said.

PORT RICHEY

Cotee River signs, buoys replaced

The city is wrapping up its effort to replace deteriorating signage along the Cotee River and may post additional markers at the request of area boaters. The City Council on Tuesday evening approved the final payment of more than $19,000 to Water Ventures LLC, which replaced signs, buoys and pilings along the river. The city launched the project after a study found the waterway signs, including no-wake zone warnings facing north and south, to be fading, illegible or, in some cases, missing altogether. City Manager Tom O'Neill said some boaters have asked the city to place additional no-wake signs in certain areas visible to the east and west. O'Neill said such signage would be useful and told the council he plans to spend less than $2,500 for those additional signs.

NEW PORT RICHEY

Former manager tries for Colo. job

Former City Manager John Schneiger is a finalist for a similar post in Trinidad, Colo., a town of roughly 9,000 people a few miles north of the New Mexico border. Schneiger, who turns 58 next month, stepped down as New Port Richey city manager in October, saying he believed he no longer had the support of a majority on the council. He received a $40,000 severance package that included unused vacation time. Prior to coming to Florida, Schneiger served as city manager of two Colorado towns: Fruita and Montrose. He and Trinidad interim City Manager Tom Acre are now the finalists for the post in that town. A Trinidad City Council majority known as the "gang of four" fired the previous city manager, Ed Gil de Rubio, last May amid allegations that he overstepped his bounds by committing city funds to projects without the council's blessing, according to the Trinidad Times.

There is a reason why the air in Tampa Bay is filled with playoff talk. If Thursday night's 12-8 Bucs preseason win over the Jaguars is any indication, it's also going to be filled with footballs thrown by quarterback Jameis Winston.